Front Range Range · Colorado 13er · No. 149 of the 13ers
North Ridge from Black Lake
Chiefs Head Peak, 13,577'
Technical climb: exposed Class 4, possibly low Class 5
This route up Chiefs Head's north ridge has 500 feet of exposed scrambling, a steep 30-foot crack, and a narrow ledge above a sheer face. The party that wrote it up carried some rope and gear. This page is an outline, not a move-by-move guide. The easier way up is from Stoneman Pass.
DifficultyClass 4
Round trip12.4 mi
Elevation gain4,400'
TrailheadGlacier Gorge (Rocky Mountain National Park)
Trailhead elevation9,185'
Conditions on the summit
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Afternoon storm risk is the line that matters. Everything else is comfort. In summer, plan to be off the ridge before the build-up starts, not as it starts. Forecast for the summit point, adjusted for its elevation · data from Open-Meteo.
Colorado 13er · North Ridge from Black Lake
Overview
Chiefs Head Peak towers over the upper Glacier Gorge cirque in Rocky Mountain National Park. From the Glacier Gorge trailhead you hike past Mills and Jewel lakes to Black Lake, climb into the cirque below Longs Peak and Pagoda, and climb the north ridge on slabs, corners and ledges to the summit.
It is a serious climb: exposed Class 3 for about 500 feet, then an exposed series of slabs and ramps, a 30-foot crack climbed as Class 4, a loose section, and a narrow ledge above the sheer northwest face. Early in summer there may be steep snow near 45 degrees above the talus. The easier standard way is via Stoneman Pass.
The round trip is about 12.4 miles with about 4,400 feet of gain. Mileage and gain are our estimates.
Plan of the day
Start by
By 4 a.m.
Turnaround
Be on the north ridge by 9 a.m.
Crux
The crack and the ledge traverse above the northwest face.
Route-finding
Difficult. Head up the cirque toward the northeast face, then work west on slabs and corners to the north ridge. Stay on its left side when it gets hard.
From Estes Park, enter Rocky Mountain National Park at the Beaver Meadows entrance and drive Bear Lake Road to the Glacier Gorge trailhead. The lot fills very early; a park shuttle also stops here.
The park charges an entry fee and may require a timed-entry reservation in summer. Check the park website.
Glacier Gorge (Rocky Mountain National Park). Road conditions near the trailhead change after storms. Check your clearance and have a backup plan for a lower lot.
Trail in the treesTalus and screeScramblingExposed to lightning
The line is elevation, the band underneath is the ground, and the numbered dots match the steps below. Mileage and elevations are approximate.
1
Glacier Gorge trailhead 9,185' · 0 mi
Follow signs for Mills Lake and Jewel Lake.
2
Mills Lake 9,950' · 2.5 mi
Continue up the gorge past Jewel Lake.
3
Black Lake 10,620' · 4.7 mi
At Black Lake, turn east and climb into the cirque below Longs Peak's west face and Pagoda. Step on rocks, not the fragile tundra.
4
Talus cone 11,800' · 5.5 mi
Head toward Chiefs Head's northeast face as tundra turns to talus. Early in summer, steep snow may lie above the talus.
Watch for: Ice axe and possibly crampons early in the season.
5
North ridge 12,400' · 5.8 mi
Work west up slabs and corners to the north ridge. For about 500 feet, stay on its left side where it gets hard.
Watch for: Class 3 with big exposure.
6
Crack and ledge 13,300' · 6.1 mi
The ridge steepens: go left up exposed slabs and ramps, back right on a ledge, up a steep 30-foot crack, left on a ledge below a headwall, up loose rock, then west along a narrow ledge above the northwest face.
Watch for: Class 4 or harder. Rope recommended.
7
Summit 13,577' · 6.2 mi
Scramble broken ground to the top.
Getting down
Descend to Stoneman Pass and follow the standard route back down into Glacier Gorge.
If things go wrong
Below the north ridge, retreat back into the cirque.
3D flyover
No 3D flyover for this peak
Past Black Lake the route is a trailless, technical climb. A flyover only works when there is a set trail to trace. Without one, the line would be a guess, and a guess could send you the wrong way on the mountain. Use the step-by-step route with a good map and GPS track instead.
See the trail on video
No video yet
We haven’t found a good video of this route that matches the way we describe it. The route strip, junctions and 3D flyover show the way in the meantime.
Other routes
Every way up Chiefs Head Peak we list, with its class.
Northeast Face / North Ridgethis routeClass 4 11 mi
This describes the route on a dry summer day. Most 13ers see few people, so there may be no one along behind you. Check recent conditions the week you go, carry a map, tell someone your plan, and turn around when the day tells you to.